DIGITAL STUDENT ACADEMIC DATA

Transcription

1 DIGITAL STUDENT ACADEMIC DATA We re on the road to somewhere A Presentation to the Higher Education Compliance and Quality Forum 5 November2015 Anthony Manahan, DSD Reference Group Senior Service Analyst, Service Performance and Planning, University of Melbourne

2 The vision A globally mobile student experience Underpinned by secure and easily transferable academic records integrated through international networks

3 The participants The DSD Reference Group has representatives from across Australia and New Zealand Auckland University of Technology Australian Catholic University Charles Darwin University* Edith Cowan University Griffith University La Trobe University Monash University Queensland University of Technology RMIT University The Australian National University The University of Adelaide The University of Melbourne The University of New England The University of New South Wales The University of Western Australia Universities Australia University of Auckland University of South Australia University of Wollongong University of Tasmania* The Reference Group provides guidance and oversight to ensure: Flexible delivery of a digital replica of each university s academic records A sector wide approach recognising difference but resourcing for scale to minimise the impost on individual universities * Invited to join the Reference Group post the DVC-Corporate meeting on 9 October 2015.

4 The journey so far Universities Australia representatives attended Groningen Declaration Meeting HoSA endorse the Going Global, Starting Local concept proposal Universities Australia DVC- Corporate Committee endorsement of DSD Taskforce with associated funding support from 39 Australian universities Feasibility Study & EOI Final Business Case and shortlist of vendors to March meeting of Universities Australia DVC-Corporate Committee Groningen Declaration presented at Australian and New Zealand Heads of Student Administration (HoSA) Conference Establishment of Digital Student Data Reference Group (DSDRG) Thomas C Black, Associate Vice Provost & Registrar, Stanford University presents to HoSA on the Stanford experience of moving to digital student academic records. Request for Tender Feasibility Study provided and formal open Request for Tender endorsed by the Universities Australia DVC- Corporate Committee on 9 October Universities Australia signs the Groningen Declaration in May

5 The objectives Credential Security Fully participate in the Groningen Declaration network The Groningen Declaration seeks common ground in best serving the academic and professional mobility needs of citizens world wide by bringing together key stakeholders in the Digital Student Data Ecosystem. Student portability and mobility Productivity The Groningen Declaration was signed on 5 May 2015.

6 The benefits Protect and enhance the reputation of the sector Reduce the instances of document fraud and falsification by secure electronic data and documents accessible from a trusted source Raise the profile of Australia's reputation as a world-leader in international education delivery of education experience of uncompromising quality Rise in student mobility 13-fold increase in the number of international students at Australian universities from 1988 to 2014; 25% overseas students in Australia Increasing administrative pressure on universities in verifying qualifications and processing admissions applications Alignment with Commonwealth Government strategies and plans Drive for productivity and removal of red tape Student centred model - Focus on end-user needs

7 The benefits Benefit Owner Benefits Sector Assurance of the integrity and security of Australian university qualifications Sector efficiency in the verification and processing of academic records Simpler and more efficient connectors for institutions globally to exchange data with Australian institutions. Reinforcement of the quality and integrity of the Australian higher education brand and protection of the industry. Student Universities Employers and other third parties Assurance of the integrity and security of their Australian university qualifications. Improved experience when moving between universities within Australia and abroad due to increased academic record data portability leading to faster decision making within universities. Ability to provide controlled access to study record by third parties determined by student. Significant productivity improvements relating to admission, international exchange and verification services, including validating overseas transcripts and qualifications. Assurance of the integrity and security of their qualifications. Ability to access student records from multiple student systems and formats. Assurance of the integrity and security of Australian university qualifications. Significant productivity improvements relating to access to, and assessment and verification of, Australian and, ultimately, overseas qualifications.

8 The node and the network First phase focussed on delivering data-enabled secure PDF replicas of each university's key academic records: - testamur or parchment - transcript - AHEGS It is currently anticipated that the second phase, yet to be scheduled, will focus on the data transfer aspects of academic record management (machine to machine data transfer)

9 User stories the sector Before Delays Opaque Vulnerable After Instant Clear Secure UWA received an application from an agent in China for their Master of Commerce. Fabia reviews the application and is looking at the transcript. She is familiar with that university and thinks the transcript looks odd. She also saw the 4 Corners episode the other night so thinks it is probably worth double checking the qualification and any others received form that agent. She lets her manager know of her suspicions who asks the rest of the team to help with the checking. They find 40 applications from the same agent, all with the same odd looking transcripts. Fabia phones the University in China and speaks to Xao informs her that they have received calls form a number of overseas universities, including Australian, asking for verification. Xao says that they have a problem with that agent and that the qualifications are bogus. Fabia asks Xao whether she would mind ing confirmation of the situation, which Xao does. Fabia lets her manager know who then tries to contact the Agent but finds they are no longer in business. The agent is removed form the UWA agent list. Fabia also sends an to her colleagues in the other WA universities letting them know of the problem with this agent. Fabia receives an online application for the Master of Commerce from a student with an undergraduate degree from a University in China. She follows the link in the application to the national node and accesses the qualification, which includes confirmation that the documents were received directly from CHESICC and are therefore from a trusted and verifiable source. Fabia makes an immediate offer.

10 User stories the applicant Before Manual Time consuming Confusing After Automated Quick Clear Jill is just finishing her BA at LTU and wants to apply for an MA at Monash. She phones student administration and is asked to fill out a request online, which she does, indicating that she needs her transcript for a course application. She pays the fee. Jill receives the transcript (with incomplete results) after a week, she then scans it and uploads it as part of her online MA application but also sends it in so it can be verified. She receives a condition offer, conditional upon completing her degree and providing a new transcript. After about a month, Jill's results are available and she formally completes her BA. She knows where to access the online request form now so does this and requests her transcript again, but for her completed degree. She pays the fee. A few days later she receives the transcript indicating completion and conferral. She again scans it and uploads it to the online course application. She also sends it in. A week after this she receives confirmation that her offer is now unconditional and that she can enrol. Jill submits her online application to Monash indicating she has almost completed her BA and will have done so by the time classes commence. She provides the link to her transcript in the national node as well as giving permission for Monash to check her transcript once results are completed. The receives a conditional offer within days. A few days after gradation, Jill receives an unconditional offer to the MA and can enrol.

11 User stories the university (admission) Before Manual Expensive Bureaucratic LTU George takes the phone call from Jill regarding how to order a transcript. He gives her the link over the phone, and let's her know there will be a fee. Lei in Academic Records receives Jill's online request and notes that payment has been made. Lei arranges for the transcript to be printed, a bit of a backlog so takes a day or two, and then posts it to Jill. Monash Augustus, in the Office of Admissions, receives notification that an online application for the MA has been submitted. He sees that the transcript has been provided and reviews it, noting that it is for an incomplete degree. However, Jill's results are such he makes her a conditional offer. Livia is also in the OA and is opening the mail a few days later and receives Jill's transcript. She looks up Jill and sees she already has a conditional offer. The scans the transcript and uploads it as verified. Augustus is notified that a new document has been uploaded for an application. He checks and sees Jill's transcript for the completed BA. He also notes that there is the uploaded and verified incomplete transcript. He ums and aahs but decides to wait for the hard copy before setting the conditions as satisfied. The hard copy arrives a day or two later so he scans it and uploads it, flagging it as verified, and then sets the conditions as met and notifies Jill she has an unconditional offer and can now enrol. Augustus then enters the data form the transcript into the Educational Background section of the application. He finds this very tedious After Automated Cheap Client focused Augustus is notified that an online application for the MA is awaiting assessment. He can see that Jill has provided a link to the national node so he clicks the link and is able to access the transcript for the incomplete degree. He selects the option to download the transcript as a secure PDF which he then attaches to the application. He makes Jill a conditional offer. Augustus is notified that a final transcript is available for an application. He access Jill's application and then selects the link to the transcript in the node. He again selects the option to down the transcript as a secure PDF which he attaches to the application as a verified document. He then sets the conditions as met and notifies Jill she has an unconditional offer and can now enrol. Augustus then enters the data form the transcript into the Educational Background section of the application. He still finds this very tedious so is very excited about the next admission cycle when as well as a secure pdf of the transcript, the actual data will be available so he won't even have to upload the document, the data will be imported into the admission system and stored in education background.

12 User stories the exchange student Before Manual Time consuming Confusing Lucy is studying her LLB at UNE, she is in her final year. She has a real interest in first nations so wants to do a semester of exchange in Canada at McGill (she plans to do her masters in NZ). Lucy fills out the Exchange form online and sends it to the Education Abroad Office (EAO). She then works out the subjects she wants to take, gets them signed off by the Law School and sends them in to the EAO. Finally, she sends the hard-copy of her transcript to the EAO with her results to date to be included in the application (see Jill's story for how the transcript is requested and provided). Lucy is told that it is likely to take 5 weeks for her to get a response from McGill (UNE have told her she is eligible). 6 weeks later she hears she is in. Lucy has a fantastic time at McGill and is even more inspired than ever. However, her results from McGill have not yet been recorded in the student system and graduation is approaching so she is getting nervous. Lucy approaches student admin who tell her that they have not yet receives the transcript of her results from McGill and that she might want to chase them up. Lucy contacts Stuart in Education Abroad who says he will follow up but suggests she does too. Lucy contacts McGill who inform her that she will need to request and pay for a transcript, at which point they will send it. Lucy does this. She receives the transcript in the post (and via ) and provides it to Stuart in Education Abroad. Lucy is very nervous as end of year is rapidly approaching. However, fortunately, after 2 weeks she sees that her results from McGill have been recorded in the student system (it was done as credit, which she thinks a little odd but is ok as was warned this is how it will be done). Lucy completes and graduates with First Class Honours. After Automated Quick Clear Lucy gives permission for her transcript to be released as part of the UNE application process for the exchange program. Her transcript is provided electronically to McGill and because it is from a trusted source, the ANZ node, they approve her application within a week. As part of signing up at McGill, Lucy gives permission her McGill transcript to be provided to the ANZ node (it is electronic so free of charge). Upon her return to UNE, Lucy is notified that she is eligible to graduate because the McGill transcript was provided electronically as soon as results at McGill were available. Lucy completes and graduates with First Class Honours.

13 User stories the university (education abroad) Before Manual Expensive Bureaucratic UNE Stuart in the Education Abroad office receives Lucy's application. He checks it for completeness and notes that Lucy has said she is finalising the proposed subjects and will also provide a hard copy transcript. The following week, Stuart receives Lucy's proposed program of study along with the transcript of her results to date. He matches it with her application, scans it, and sends it to his contact at McGill. McGill Jacqui at McGill receives the application from Stuart and processes the application and notifies Stuart that all is complete and that Lucy's application has been successful. At the end of the McGill term, Jacqui receives an from Lucy requesting her results. Jacqui tells Lucy that she will need to request a transcript and pay the fee, which Lucy does. The McGill transcript team receive Lucy's request and mail her the transcript. They also send an electronic copy to Jacqui via . Jacqui then sends to this to Lucy as well. UNE Stuart receives the transcript from Lucy and checks to make sure it matches her approved program of study, which it does. He then scans the hard copy and attaches it to Lucy's student system file at the same time he enters the credit. The Law School flag Lucy as eligible to complete with first class honours. After Automated Cheap Client focused UNE Stuart in the Education Abroad Office (EAO) receives Lucy's application which includes a link to her transcript in the ANZ node (available for two weeks for UNE and McGill). He sends the application to Jacqui at McGill. McGill Jacqui receives the application, accesses the transcript in the node, and immediately approves Lucy's application. Because Lucy gave approval for her McGill transcript to be provided to UNE upon completion, it was flagged as such in the McGill system and therefore once results were entered, the transcript was added to the ANZ node automatically. UNE Lucy and Stuart are notified that the McGill transcript is available. Stuart accesses it and adds the electronic replica to the student system file and enters the credit. Like Augustus at Monash, Stuart is very excited about the next exchange application cycle when as well as a secure pdf of the transcript, the actual data will be available so he won't even have to upload the document, the data will be imported into the student system and stored in education background. The Law School flag Lucy as eligible to complete with first class honours.

14 User stories the employer Before Tedious Bureaucratic Barrier After Streamlined Quick Open The local firm of Fagin, Fagin and Dickens receives an ed job application with Jill's completed BA and MA transcripts from LTU and Monash. Oliver prints the applications and transcripts. He then phones LTU and Monash to request that they verify Jill's qualifications. They do this. Oliver then notes on Jill's application file that they have been verified. He thanks his lucky stars that he works for a small firm because the thought of having to do this for hundreds of applications makes him queasy. Fagin, Fagin and Dickens receive an ed job application from Jill. It includes a link to her LinkedIn profile for her qualifications. However, she also provides a link to the node for he qualifications. Oliver access the link to the Node and reviews Jill's testamur and transcripts and flags them in the application as complete and verified. He also, out of interest, checks Jill's LinkedIn profile and notices that her testamur and transcript are also available there, from the node. Oliver then receives another job application, this one from Jack Hill. It has Jack's BA attached to the . He at first wishes there had been the link to the node and prepares to phone QUT, but then notices that the document has a verification SQR so he scans that which takes him to the node where the BA testamur and transcript are verified as true and accurate. He therefore flags them in the application as complete and verified. A year or so later, Oliver takes up a job at DFAT and is impressed to notice that there is a direct link from the national node to the DFAT system that allows the qualification data to be directly transferred once the student gives permission.

15 Next steps for DSD Reference Group: 1. Work with KPMG to undertake a formal open Request for Tender to identify a suitable service provider. 2. Initiate development of a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) as recommended in the legal advice from Sibenco Legal and Advisory. 3. Continue to engage with stakeholders in the sector to ensure ongoing support.

16 The Groningen Declaration signatories Australia Belgium Canada China France Ireland Italy Mexico Netherlands Norway Romania South Africa Spain Sweden United Kingdom United States

17 More information

18 Questions Questions